Reaction to the GB and Celtic Statements.

Now that we have had statements from both the Green Brigade and Celtic Football club we still await a statement from Strathclyde police on FOCUS operations. I won’t hold my breath.

I welcome the Club’s statement regarding the safety and welfare of the supporters and the fact they have made it clear who fans can complain to if they feel they are being harassed by the Police. Now no one should be in any doubt how to complain to the Club and the Club have no excuse for not following up complaints. Here’s hoping for a truly transparent process.

I sincerely hope that no one on the board of Celtic PLC are cooperating on what appears to be an attack on Celtic fans. It is time for the support to come together and condemn the attack on the civil liberties of peaceful supporters. However it is equally up to fans who feel they are being harassed to provide evidence so we can call the Police to account.

Anyone who fought against the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 would have seen this day coming. A flawed piece of badly drafted law which was kicked through the Scottish Parliament in into law by the SNP Government even although the majority of the country were against it.

This law has become an all encompassing umbrella which gives the Police a blank cheque to criminalise football supporters and only football supporters in Scotland. The Green Brigade and others sitting around section 111 seem to have taken the brunt of this hideous law. The phrase ‘Likely to cause offence to any reasonable person’ is one of the most loosely worded pieces of law outside China and N.Korea.

For some reason this law does not seem to be universally applied as sectarian singing still exists on a large scale every week in Scotland but that should not detract Celtic fans from supporting their own in the face of intimidation as laid out here in the Green Brigade statement.

Whether you approve of the Green Brigade and their actions is not important. What is important is that we recognise the infringement of civil liberties here in Scotland. I believe all football supporters should be interested in fighting.

No one wants to live in a racist or sectarian country but it is not up to the Police or the Judiciary to decide what peoples political views are whether in or outside a football stadium.

I have spoken to senior members of the Green Brigade in the past and they know firsthand that I don’t endorse political signing at football matches but myself and this site will stand up for their right to express their views without fear or prejudice.

This whole situation needs to be brought out into the open. There are serious issues of civil liberties involved. I will be very disappointed if CFC are colluding with the authorities to demonise a section of their own fanbase, who let’s face it must have raised Celtic’s profile all over the World with the birthday celebrations alone. If approached the right way I think whole thing could be sorted out without such a heavy handed actions.

This whole situation needs to be brought out into the open. There are serious issues of civil liberties involved. I will be very disappointed if CFC are colluding with the authorities to demonise a section of their own fanbase, who let’s face it must have raised Celtic’s profile all over the World with the birthday celebrations alone. If approached the right way I think whole thing could be sorted out without such a heavy handed actions.

As someone who sits in 111 with my two sons but we are not gb members but see the victimisation they suffer at almost every game, I personally have e-mailed Celtic twice about the harassment to everyone around 111 like numerous searches going to the toilets or food stalls & being asked to show your season card every time by the same steward who knows you showed it to him several times already, the statement from Celtic is very hollow & I have no doubt that the club are behind this action, there is no way the police could have the information on these fans without info from the club, shame on you celtic & before anyone thinks I am a young rebel, I’m 52 & held a season ticket for over thirty years but I won’t be back next season if this keeps up !

As someone who sits in 111 with my two sons but we are not gb members but see the victimisation they suffer at almost every game, I personally have e-mailed Celtic twice about the harassment to everyone around 111 like numerous searches going to the toilets or food stalls & being asked to show your season card every time by the same steward who knows you showed it to him several times already, the statement from Celtic is very hollow & I have no doubt that the club are behind this action, there is no way the police could have the information on these fans without info from the club, shame on you celtic & before anyone thinks I am a young rebel, I’m 52 & held a season ticket for over thirty years but I won’t be back next season if this keeps up !

I have to concede that I am not well informed about what is the root cause of all the problems in 111. I find it incredible that supporters who are so intense in their support of the club would exaggerate never mind fabricate the victimisation stories. On the other hand, I pray that Celtic are not playing some kind of underhand game. Large organisations have the wherewith all to do so without scrutiny and have been shown in other instances to be well up for using it. The “wee man” is easy meat. One would hope the club we all love is above such insidious tactics but as yet they have said and done nothing that is completely convincing. While we all hope that the club statement today holds true, it behoves us to support our fellow supporters till they are proven guilty of wrong doing or subterfuge. They, on the other hand, have to be up front with the club despite the consequences, if they are to present a squeaky-clean public image.

With regard to the third element viz. the police, I have reason to suspect there could well be strategies in place to secure long term objectives for both themselves and their masters. It is an open secret that there are some in the force who are using every judicial ploy at their disposal to further careers rather than enforce the law. As for the judiciary and the government, the Scottish people should give serious consideration to the possibility of the country being ruled by those who introduced the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. If it was me, I would certainly want to know what was the real motive behind the fast-track of such “shambolic” legislation.

I have to concede that I am not well informed about what is the root cause of all the problems in 111. I find it incredible that supporters who are so intense in their support of the club would exaggerate never mind fabricate the victimisation stories. On the other hand, I pray that Celtic are not playing some kind of underhand game. Large organisations have the wherewith all to do so without scrutiny and have been shown in other instances to be well up for using it. The “wee man” is easy meat. One would hope the club we all love is above such insidious tactics but as yet they have said and done nothing that is completely convincing. While we all hope that the club statement today holds true, it behoves us to support our fellow supporters till they are proven guilty of wrong doing or subterfuge. They, on the other hand, have to be up front with the club despite the consequences, if they are to present a squeaky-clean public image.

With regard to the third element viz. the police, I have reason to suspect there could well be strategies in place to secure long term objectives for both themselves and their masters. It is an open secret that there are some in the force who are using every judicial ploy at their disposal to further careers rather than enforce the law. As for the judiciary and the government, the Scottish people should give serious consideration to the possibility of the country being ruled by those who introduced the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. If it was me, I would certainly want to know what was the real motive behind the fast-track of such “shambolic” legislation.

hi Kraljski, yeah the treatment of the GB has taken too long to long to be looked at and hopefully this harrassment will end it is incredible when you read fans accounts off what they have to go through to watch Celtic and I agree, GB now…..who next? I , like yourself, failed to earn my Zebra Stripes and after ten years on the Club four payment scheme had to give up my season ticket,how many other fans have been denied their season ticket and now pick their games because of this credit check? this will not help in future years and I think the Club have shot themselves in the foot by. adopting this system……..thanks for the blogs I enjoy your informative and wise comments, that goes for you too pensionerbhoy!!!
HH Bhoys:-)

hi Kraljski, yeah the treatment of the GB has taken too long to long to be looked at and hopefully this harrassment will end it is incredible when you read fans accounts off what they have to go through to watch Celtic and I agree, GB now…..who next? I , like yourself, failed to earn my Zebra Stripes and after ten years on the Club four payment scheme had to give up my season ticket,how many other fans have been denied their season ticket and now pick their games because of this credit check? this will not help in future years and I think the Club have shot themselves in the foot by. adopting this system……..thanks for the blogs I enjoy your informative and wise comments, that goes for you too pensionerbhoy!!!
HH Bhoys:-)

Could the treatment the GB are recieving could be coming from police officer who do not want to be at Celtic Park at all and would prefere to be at another stadium? Ithink that was the same as the penalty awarded against us on Sat v Dundee Utd .No one but the whistler saw it Strang decisions indeed!!

Could the treatment the GB are recieving could be coming from police officer who do not want to be at Celtic Park at all and would prefere to be at another stadium? Ithink that was the same as the penalty awarded against us on Sat v Dundee Utd .No one but the whistler saw it Strang decisions indeed!!